


Blow Off

by Wolfgang von Cemetery (enemy_xands)



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Drabble, F/F, Implied Relationships, Inspired by Music, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Power Play, The Nineties gross, Unrequited Crush, past Kevin/Sami, post episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-14
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-11-13 22:27:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11194722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enemy_xands/pseuds/Wolfgang%20von%20Cemetery
Summary: Sami tells Shinsuke everything whether he wants to or not; Lana likes her monsters





	1. Debonair

**Author's Note:**

> *looks around*
> 
> I had a lot going on this week and I needed to blow off some steam...they should have never let me watch Smackdown lmao. 
> 
> Two independent drabbles set during/around Smackdown Live! 6/13/17. No regrets!

Shinsuke didn't bother asking AJ what "ska" was because he knew that man would just give him a smart ass non-answer. He did what any normal person would do and Googled it his damn self.

Ska was a weird zone. Japan had a decent dancehall and reggae scene, so he was used to sweaty, spastic teenagers losing their minds in small night clubs. And of course there was punk. He'd been in a few mosh pits himself. But ska did a lot of things. It was relentlessly upbeat but there were songs about political struggle, too. There was a lot of sax and xylophone and dreamy background sighs. The people dressed weird. Shinsuke is aware of the fact that he can hardly talk about a subculture dressing "weird" considering his fashion choices, but the ska people…and what was "skanking"? The last time he'd heard a phrase that sounded like that, he was pretty sure it was in reference to someone getting stabbed, so that couldn't be right. 

Nevertheless, he read and retained enough to start a conversation, he hoped. They had a few minutes backstage. Sami was sitting on a bench with his ear buds pressed in, his arms propped up on his knees leaving his hands to dangle between his legs. Shinsuke smiled even though his hands were sweating and he was shaking a little. 

Bits of music were leaking out into the room so Shinsuke knew Sami couldn't hear him. He was surprised the other man couldn't feel his presence. But he sat down anyway and leaned in a bit, still smiling. No response. His face dropped. Seriously?

His eyes drifted downward, taking in Sami's tense arms. Sami's foot was tapping impatiently. Shinsuke caught sight of Sami's iPhone resting just underneath his fingers. He squinted at the album cover on the screen. Hmm. The Afghan Whigs. He hadn't seen those on his internet travels.

Still, he popped one of Sami's ear buds out and had it in his own ear before Sami could even register a protest. Sami's mouth opened then closed, a look of perplexed worry on his face. He picked at his face while he waiting for Shinsuke to explain himself.

Shinsuke was expecting a blast of sax or a spurt of trombone, what he got was a jangly guitar riff soaked in angst backed up by rhythmic bass and guitar that reminded him of disco. It sounded cut from the same cloth but different. The singer had a tortured wail, not a terrible Jamaican façade or croaky yell. This was…a lot different. He looked at Sami's face again and saw deep sadness and confusion.

"What?" Sami asked. "Why're you looking like that?" 

"Not ska?" Shinsuke asked. Sami shrugged pale shoulders.

"Oh, I don't listen to that to get me pumped most of the time. I like other things. Hell, I'll play Britney Spears."

Their shared laughter was cut short by a lyric, clear as a bell, shared in the space between them

 

_My conscience can't be found_

_This time I won't repent_

_Somebody's going down…_

 

Sami cringed and sighed at being caught red handed listening to something so flagrantly _angsty_. "Sometimes, when I see Kevin, I gotta get in a different space. A little fucked up. I…downloaded this when he hit me with a chair. The first time." 

Shinsuke cocked his head. _Oh_. Sami's face held years of pain and betrayal that went beyond mere friendship. It soaked him like the desert earth thirstily gulps up rain, never filled and always wanting more. Cracks in his face, cracks in his demeanor.

Sami ducked under Shinsuke's scrutiny. "Don't ask," he said uselessly. He'd already said everything.

Shinsuke smiled again and patted Sami's back. "I won't." He pulled the ear bud and got up to leave. 

"Wait!"

Sami's hand shot out to grab his wrist. Shinsuke reflexively pulled back but not away. He raised his eyebrows. 

"I didn't mean to freak you out. There's other songs. We can get hyped together, yeah? Come on!"

Shinsuke laughed a little. "Not here to skank with you." 

Sami conjured a mental image of Shinsuke breaking out into a pogo during his entrance and barely held back laughter. But now he really was confused. "Oh. Then what?"

"Just to tell you…I like you."

"Oh! Dude. I feel like such a _dork_ sometimes--"

"You are a dork."

"When I'm trying to--okay, I am a dork--"

"I like that--" 

"But you, me, and AJ man, and, I respect you so much dude, no I respect you both--"

Shinsuke rolled his eyes. English stopped processing for him when all he heard was a thousand words a second. There was no point keeping up. Sami was getting a little foamy mouthed; Shinsuke pressed a finger against his lips to shush him.

"Nnnoot like that." 

"Hn mike mmph?" He pushed Shinsuke's finger out of the way and tried again. "Then like what?" He stopped a second and caught his first clue of the night. "Shit. _Shit_ , I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to deal with fucked up me."

"I can wait for regular you."

"I have no idea when that's going to be. Every time I think I'm done, he just fucking shows up again. I don't--I can't even think about doing anything you need."

Shinsuke frowned but nodded. He got the concept of ghosts, the ceaseless persistence of revenge. He definitely got being hurt. He didn't get letting it swallow your life whole until there was nothing left. He didn't think Sami was like that and he _knew_ that Sami didn't think of himself like that. So he put himself in that space. He inhabited that home because somewhere, Kevin lives in there too.

"Um…" Sami wanted to apologize for all the good it would do. Normally, this would be a simple "I'm not interested", but he'd said too much. He wasn't sure how, but everything leaked. To someone he respected, someone he needed on his side. He couldn't tell if Shinsuke thought he was pathetic or just weird (not that he needed help), but whatever the other man was feeling he hid well with a stoic smile.

Shinsuke plucked the dangling earbud off Sami's shoulders and plugged it back into Sami's ear. He knew Sami couldn't hear him anymore, so he playfully poked his nose and mouthed, "See you soon."

Sami stood alone in the locker room, alternating between rubbing his neck and dragging his hands down his face. His chaotic thoughts bounced around in his head with nowhere to go, no release. He punched a nearby locker until his knuckles opened up.

 

_This ain't about regret_

_It's when I tell the truth…_


	2. Gorgeous Frankenstein

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like Tamina ok?? I don't owe you anything! 
> 
> (I hope they just let her have a singles run though I'm over her being everyone's enforcer)

Lana likes her monsters, male or female.

The audience behind her was chanting for Rusev. Rusev Rusev Rusev. Rusev was at home still crying on his weights over the Predators defeat. He was wearing black. He was drinking cheap beer. He was complaining about cheating refs. _He_ was not here and _she_ was.

Tamina was in front of her, throwing Naomi around like a ragdoll. Lana leaned in dangerously close onto the apron in her skin tight, slinkiest blue dress. She knew her _assets_ were showing. Why wouldn't she?

Tamina looked possessed, like the wild one-eyed _likho_. There was little finesse in the way she handled the body in front of her, she just inflicted pain and damage. She wore black that covered her whole body from neck to palm. And that hair that glided and draped across her face like it hid something sinister.

Lana knew Tamina wasn't really paying attention to her. She'd interrupted their fight a little bit because she got impatient. She was going to run out whenever Naomi won--oh, she had no doubt Naomi would win. She needed Naomi to win. Naomi was tenacious and she knew Tamina well from their past time together. Lana wondered just _how_ well, as an afterthought. Her pout quickly tilted up into a smirk.

She could have Rusev and Tamina both. Naomi thought she was home free when she pinned the giantess and hoisted her belt up high. Lana entered the ring and stomped her down; she couldn't tell if the crowd was cheering or booing or maybe both, but she saw Tamina look up and cock her eyebrow.

_Watch._

She planted Naomi so hard in the ring she was sure Jey felt it backstage. She grinned. This would be challenging, but a good challenge. It was time she flexed a little muscle. She watched Tamina roll out of the ring, angry and confused, maybe just a little dazed and frustrated. Lana crooked her finger.

_Come to me, gorgeous creature…_


End file.
